Report card for GCS: 'C'

GAYLORD - In a mixed review of the Gaylord Community Schools (GCS), the state of Michigan on Friday awarded the three of its schools a "C" through its Education YES! program.

The state Board of Education created the program in December 2001 to measure both Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) scores and 11 learning indicators self-reported by schools.

No Child Left Behind, signed into law by President Bush in January 2002, requires states to set target goals for adequate yearly progress (AYP) based on 2001-02 student achievement data (see sidebar).

Failures to make AYP were noted at Gaylord High School, Middle School, and Intermediate School based on the number of students taking the test and the lack of success among one of four subgroups. The state may begin to impose sanctions on the intermediate school - now in its second year on the list of schools not able to make AYP - ranging from asking the district to notify parents to forcing GCS to offer the opportunity for students to switch buildings, a moot point in the Gaylord district where no choice of building exists beyond third grade.

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Gaylord High School reported 84 percent of the Class of 2003 took the MEAP test in January last year, compared to the 95-percent participation level required for the state for AYP. The test is not mandated, however, by either the state or the school district. GCS school board members are now considering adding language to district policy requiring the test for graduation.

"We talked with the policy committee about making it a requirement for graduation," said Gaylord High School Principal Lori Pearson. "Looking at the percentages, our kids did pretty well. It's just we didn't meet their 95-percent quota."

At the middle and intermediate schools, fourth-grade, seventh-grade and eighth-grade special education students - measured as a separate subgroup because they number 30 or more in each class - also failed to meet MEAP test standards (see chart). Dr. Jackie Burden, GCS curriculum director, indicated last week special education students are required to be tested at an academic level equal to their peers. Only limited accommodations can be made in the test's presentation.

According to intermediate school principal Rich Marshall, a handful of special education students took advantage of the language arts alternative test. Fourth-grade special education students met the target language arts goal.

"I'm not opposed to the test," said Burden, "but when you're looking at individual plans for students with challenges and then say they have to meet the same standards it flies in the face of why you have special education in the first place."

"I think it's unfortunate that the AYP mark doesn't reflect our school very well," said Marshall. "We've been making good progress lately in our MEAP scores. We exceeded the state target goals in English and math by a significant margin but because one subgroup didn't meet those goals we didn't meet AYP."

Pearson must also assure each of four subgroups at the high school achieves that 95-percent participation level. The percent measurement cannot be cumulative.